Inquest Hears Tragic Details of 11-Year-Old's Drowning on First Family Holiday Abroad
An inquest has heard the heartbreaking details of how an 11-year-old girl, who was on her first holiday abroad with her family, tragically drowned in a hotel swimming pool. Francesca Blease, from Cheshire, was found face down and unconscious in the children's pool at the Jandia Princess Hotel in Fuerteventura, Spain, on August 7 last year.
The schoolgirl, described as a healthy child who could 'light up any room she was in', was terrified of water and could not swim. Despite this, she had been playing a game with other children that involved fetching plastic toys from the pool, which was between 10cm and 60cm deep.
Panic and Commotion at the Poolside
The tragedy unfolded while Francesca's grandmother, Julie Gray, was nearby on a sun lounger looking after her younger sister. She heard cries for help and, when she looked over, realised it was her own granddaughter being pulled from the water. Francesca's mother, Joanne, who had been speaking to a TUI holiday representative about excursions, also rushed to the poolside after hearing the 'panic and commotion'.
Witness Laura Garcia Castillo-Williams told the inquest that she spotted Francesca face-down in the pool minutes after the game began. Initially thinking it might be part of the play, she quickly realised the severity of the situation and began shouting for help while pulling the child to the side.
Holidaymakers Rush to Aid Amid Confusion
Two British holidaymakers, rather than the hotel's lifeguard, were the first to respond. Etoile Gulliver, an NHS midwife, described finding Francesca 'lifeless' and immediately began CPR with the assistance of another woman, Emma Harding. Ms Gulliver recounted a tense confrontation with hotel staff when she requested a defibrillator, describing the environment as becoming 'hostile'.
She said the hotel manager warned her, 'If you use the defibrillator it's not coming back on the hotel, it's all on you.' Despite this, she alternated between CPR and using the defibrillator, which had been fetched from the reception area, noting that Francesca's condition did show some improvement before paramedics arrived.
Conflicting Accounts and Investigation Findings
The inquest heard conflicting evidence about the lifeguard presence at the time of the incident. Francesca's grandmother claimed there were no lifeguards 'within the vicinity' of the children's pool, while another witness reported seeing only one lifeguard on duty in a shaded area. There were also discrepancies in how long it took for paramedics to arrive, with estimates ranging up to 40 minutes after the alarm was raised.
Spanish police conducted an investigation and concluded there were no criminal matters, classifying the death as a fatal accident. Dr Patrick Morgan, an expert in drowning physiology, described the medical response as 'appropriate and consistent', but noted that Francesca likely suffered an irreversible brain injury within five minutes due to hypoxia.
Coroner's Verdict and Family's Heartbreak
Coroner Jacqueline Devonish recorded the death as 'mechanical asphyxia by drowning' and concluded it was an accident. She acknowledged that, despite a thorough investigation, it was 'unfortunate' that no clear explanation could be found for how Francesca came to be face down in the water. Suggestions included that her fear of water may have caused her to lose her footing and panic, or that she might have been holding her breath as part of a game, though this was described as hearsay.
Francesca was airlifted to Gran Canaria's Maternal and Child University Hospital but never regained consciousness. Her life-support was switched off the following day, marking a devastating end to what should have been a joyful family holiday.
